QUINSTREET INC
For the period ended Mar 31, 2024. Filed May 9, 2024.
View on SEC.govAbout this filing
A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.
Mar 31, 2024 · Filed May 9, 2024
QNST$20.66+1.7%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026
What changed in Risk Factors?
Read the current filingPrevious report: 10-Q
Period ended 2023-12-31; filed 2024-02-08.
0000950170-24-012727
Item 1A. Risk FactorsCurrent report: 10-Q
Period ended 2024-03-31; filed 2024-05-09.
0000950170-24-056704
Item 1A. Risk FactorsThe baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.
Compared 222 previous paragraphs and 216 current paragraphs.
208 unchanged; 6 reworded; 1 added; 8 removed; 0 previous and 1 current paragraphs rearranged.
Tables are not compared: 0 previous and 0 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.
A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.
Added paragraphs (1)
Current report
As another example, in February 2024, the FCC adopted new rules governing the ability of call and text message recipients to revoke consent previously given and thereby “opt-out” of receiving future calls and text messages from a sender. These new rules specify when a call or text message recipient’s consent must be considered revoked and create certain presumptions about other forms of consent revocation that a sender of a call or text message can rebut pursuant to a totality of circumstances test administered by the FCC or a court. They also require valid consent revocations to be honored within a reasonable period not to exceed ten business days from receipt of such request. Additionally, when a recipient has consented to several categories of text messages from a sender and opt-out of a text message from that sender, the new rules permit a sender to seek to clarify the scope of the opt-out request through a one-time opt-out confirmation text message. This rule permitting a sender to seek such clarification through a one-time opt-out confirmation text message took effect on April 4, 2024. The effective date for the remaining consent revocation rules has not yet been set.
Removed paragraphs (8)
Previous report
We faced, and may continue to face, risks and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, which could significantly disrupt our operations and have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. These risks and uncertainties could pertain to other viruses, pandemics or other such unforeseen and broad-based public health crises.
Previous report
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath on us, our third-party publishers’, and our clients’ businesses, the extent of which continues to be uncertain and will depend on future actions and outcomes that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the duration and scope of any resurgences of the pandemic; business and individuals’ actions in response to resurgences of the pandemic; further actions taken by governmental authorities to limit the human and economic impact of the pandemic (e.g., stimulus payments); and the impact on economic activity including the length and depth of economic downturns or financial market instability that result from the pandemic;
Previous report
We faced, and may continue to face, risks and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic that could significantly disrupt our operations and have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. These risks and uncertainties could pertain to other viruses, pandemics or other such unforeseen and broad-based public health crises.
Previous report
Our business has been and may continue to be adversely impacted by the effects of COVID-19 and similar public health crises. In addition to negative macroeconomic effects on our business, decreased consumer demand for products offered by our clients, and reduced client budgets, the COVID-19 pandemic and any other related adverse public health developments have caused and may further cause declines in revenue and margin, and disruption to our business may continue or worsen over a prolonged period. The businesses of our clients and third-party media publishers (including strategic partners) have also been negatively affected and may continue to be disrupted by reduced demand, deteriorated consumer creditworthiness, delinquencies, absenteeism, quarantines, economic responses by the U.S. and other governments to limit the human and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., stimulus payments) and restrictions on employees’ ability to work, office closures and travel or health-related restrictions. In addition, our clients’ businesses may continue to be disrupted in the aftermath of the pandemic if consumers spend less time researching and comparing online, which could represent decreased demand for the online products and services that we market for our clients. Depending on the magnitude and duration of such disruptions and their effect on client spending and/or the availability of quality media from third-party publishers including strategic partners, our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be adversely affected.
Previous report
In addition, COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks have adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect, the economic and financial market stability within many countries, including in the United States, and could continue to negatively affect marketing and advertising spend in products offered by our clients or on media availability or performance. For example, certain companies that operate in the credit-driven markets such as credit cards and personal loans have seen and may continue to see reductions in near-term demand for our services due to the weakened, or additional weakening of, economic and employment conditions, and the uncertainty over the length and depth of the economic downturn. Such continuing effects of COVID-19, and other similar effects, have resulted and may continue to result in reduced marketing and advertising spend or drops in media availability or performance, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. There can be no assurance that any decrease in revenue or margin resulting from COVID-19 will be offset by increased revenue or margin in subsequent periods or that our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows will remain consistent with pre-pandemic expectations and/or performances.
Previous report
Furthermore, we may experience disruptions to our business operations resulting from supply chain disruptions affecting auto insurance carrier budgets which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows.
Previous report
Moreover, to the extent the COVID-19 pandemic or any worsening of the global business and economic environment as a result thereof adversely affects our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows, it may also have the effect of heightening or exacerbating many of the other risks described in these risk factors, such as those relating to a reduction in online marketing spend by our clients, a loss of clients or lower advertising yields, our dependence on third-party publishers including strategic partners, risks with respect to counterparties, annual and quarterly fluctuations in our results of operations, the impact of interest rate volatility on our visitor traffic, internal control over financial reporting, seasonal fluctuations, our ability to collect our receivables from our clients and risks relating to our ability to raise additional capital when and as needed. Even though the initial COVID-19 outbreak has subsided, we may continue to experience materially adverse impacts to our business as a result of its global economic impact, including as a result of economic downturns or recessions.
Previous report
Given that the magnitude and duration of COVID-19’s impact on our business and operations remain uncertain, the continued spread of COVID-19 (including the emergence and persistency of variants relating thereto) and the imposition of related public health containment measures and travel and business restrictions could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows.
Reworded paragraphs (6)
Previous wording
changes in the general economic conditions and market dynamics in the United States, or in the specific markets in which we currently do business, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and military conflicts;
Current wording
changes in the general economic conditions and market dynamics in the United States, or in the specific markets in which we currently do business, including as a result of pandemics and military conflicts;
Previous wording
We, our third-party publishers’, and our clients’ businesses operate in highly regulated industries, subject to many laws and regulatory requirements, including federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding unsolicited commercial email, telemarketing, search engines, Internet tracking technologies, direct marketing, data privacy and security, pricing, sweepstakes, promotions, intellectual property ownership and infringement, trade secrets, export of encryption technology, acceptable content and quality of goods, and taxation, among others. Each of our financial services and other client verticals is also subject to various laws and regulations, and our marketing activities on behalf of our clients are regulated. Many of these laws and regulations are frequently changing and can be subject to vagaries of interpretation and emphasis, and the extent and evolution of future government regulation is uncertain. Keeping our business in compliance with existing laws and regulations or bringing our business into compliance with new laws and regulations, therefore, may be costly, affect our revenue and harm our financial results.
Current wording
We, our third-party publishers’, and our clients’ businesses operate in highly regulated industries, subject to many laws and regulatory requirements, including federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding unsolicited commercial email, telemarketing, search engines, Internet tracking technologies, comparison shopping platforms, direct marketing, data privacy and security, advertising and consumer protection, pricing, sweepstakes, promotions, intellectual property ownership and infringement, trade secrets, export of encryption technology, acceptable content and quality of goods, and taxation, among others. Each of our financial services and other client verticals is also subject to various laws and regulations, and our marketing activities on behalf of our clients are regulated. Many of these laws and regulations are frequently changing and can be subject to vagaries of interpretation and emphasis, and the extent and evolution of future regulation is uncertain. Keeping our business in compliance with existing laws and regulations or bringing our business into compliance with new laws and regulations, therefore, may be costly, affect our revenue and harm our financial results.
Previous wording
Changes in regulations, or the regulatory environment, applicable to us or our media sources, third party publishers or clients could also have a material adverse effect on our business. For example, in December of 2023, the FCC adopted new rules regarding Targeting and Eliminating Unlawful Text Messages. The rules, among other things amend TCPA consent requirements to ban the practice of allowing a single consumer consent to be grounds for multiple entities to deliver automated marketing calls and text messages. Further, the new rules allow the FCC to “red flag” certain numbers, requiring mobile carriers to block texts from those numbers. The rules also codify that the national Do-Not-Call list protections apply to text messaging, making it illegal for marketing texts to be sent to numbers on the national Do-Not-Call registry absent an applicable exception. And the order adopting the new rules encourages providers to make email-to-text messages an opt-in service for end users. The rules could have a material adverse impact on our media sources and our clients, especially smaller businesses, as they may not be able to continue to participate in, or may substantially reduce their participation in, the online advertising channel due to increased costs, technological compliance challenges and additional legal risks, including potential liabilities or claims relating to compliance. Decreased participation in online advertising by our media sources or clients as a result of the rules could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation and financial condition, as it may reduce the availability to us of qualified inquiries. Moreover, our business could be materially and adversely affected directly by the FCC’s rules, as we also generate a substantial portion of our revenue from our own operation of websites to generate qualified inquiries. The effective date for certain of the FCC’s new rules has not yet been determined, and the scope and application of these rules may be subject to changes and uncertainties. Compliance with the FCC’s new rules and other future changes in laws may increase our compliance costs, and any failure by us or our media sources or clients to comply with such laws may subject us to significant liabilities.
Current wording
The rules could have a material adverse impact on our media sources and our clients, especially smaller businesses, as they may not be able to continue to participate in, or may substantially reduce their participation in, the online advertising channel due to increased costs, technological compliance challenges and additional legal risks, including potential liabilities or claims relating to compliance. Decreased participation in online advertising by our media sources or clients as a result of the rules could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation and financial condition, as it may reduce the availability to us of qualified inquiries. Moreover, our business could be materially and adversely affected directly by the FCC’s rules, as we also generate a substantial portion of our revenue from our own operation of websites to generate qualified inquiries. While some of the rules become effective in 2025, recommendations for best practices from associations such as the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (“CTIA”) may encourage mobile wireless carriers to require senders of SMS or text messages to comply with the amended rules ahead of the effective date. In addition, wireline and mobile wireless carriers or their service providers could elect to impose additional requirements, including with respect to prerecorded calls and the use of short codes and ten-digit long codes to transmit or receive text messages, which could have the effect of hindering our ability to contact consumers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. The scope and application of these rules and related industry practices may be subject to changes and uncertainties. The operation of or compliance with the rules and related industry practices may decrease our revenues or increase our costs. In addition, any failure by us or our media sources or clients to comply with such laws and practices may subject us to significant liabilities.
Previous wording
In connection with our owned and our third-party publishers’ email campaigns to generate traffic for our clients, we are subject to various state and federal laws regulating commercial email communications, including the federal CAN-SPAM Act. For example, in 2012, several of our clients were named defendants in a California Anti-Spam lawsuit relating to commercial emails which allegedly originated from us and our third-party publishers. While the matter was ultimately resolved in our clients’ favor, we were nonetheless obligated to indemnify certain of our clients for the fees incurred in the defense of such matter. Further, foreign laws and regulations, such as the Canadian Anti-Spam Law, may also apply to our business activities to the extent we are doing business with or marketing to consumers in foreign jurisdictions. If we or any of our third-party publishers fail to comply with any provisions of these laws or regulations, we could be subject to regulatory investigation, enforcement actions and litigation, as well as indemnification obligations with respect to our clients. Any negative outcomes from such regulatory actions or litigation, including monetary penalties or damages, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operation and reputation.
Current wording
An increased focus by regulatory agencies on the enforcement of certain regulations regarding comparison-shopping could have a material adverse effect on our business. For example, on February 29, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) published Consumer Financial Protection Circular 2024-01, Preferencing and steering practices by digital intermediaries for consumer financial products or services(the “Circular”). The Circular advised that operators of comparison-shopping websites may violate the prohibition against “abusive” conduct in the Consumer Financial Protection Act (“CFPA”) by steering consumers to certain products or services based on how the site operators are compensated. The Circular also discusses how operators of digital comparison-shopping tools can violate the prohibition on abusive practices by virtue of receiving compensation from financial service providers in exchange for preferential treatment on comparison-shopping sites. The Circular was intended to provide guidance to other law enforcement agencies with authority to enforce the CFPA’s “abusiveness” provisions, most notably state attorneys general. Violations of the abusiveness provisions are subject to civil money penalties and possible conduct prohibitions. In connection with our owned and our third-party publishers’ email campaigns to generate traffic for our clients, we are also subject to various state and federal laws regulating commercial email communications, including the federal CAN-SPAM Act. For example, in 2012, several of our clients were named defendants in a California Anti-Spam lawsuit relating to commercial emails which allegedly originated from us and our third-party publishers. While the matter was ultimately resolved in our clients’ favor, we were nonetheless obligated to indemnify certain of our clients for the fees incurred in the defense of such matter. Further, foreign laws and regulations, such as the Canadian Anti-Spam Law, may also apply to our business activities to the extent we are doing business with or marketing to consumers in foreign jurisdictions. If we or any of our third-party publishers fail to comply with any provisions of these laws or regulations, we could be subject to regulatory investigation, enforcement actions and litigation, as well as indemnification obligations with respect to our clients. Any negative outcomes from such regulatory actions or litigation, including monetary penalties or damages, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operation and reputation.
Previous wording
Historically, quarterly and annual results of operations have fluctuated due to changes in our business, our industry and the general economic and regulatory climate. We expect our future results of operations to vary significantly from quarter to quarter due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts such as the Russian-Ukraine military conflict and the Israel-Hamas war, have in the short-run, and may over the longer term, make our results of operations difficult to predict, especially for our credit-driven businesses. Furthermore, changes in monetary or fiscal policy as the result of pandemics, military conflicts or otherwise may have consequences to our businesses, including our credit-driven businesses, which are unprecedented or otherwise difficult to predict. Our fluctuating results of operations could cause our performance and outlook to be below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, causing the price of our common stock to decline. Our business changes and evolves over time, and, as a result, our historical results of operations may not be useful to you in predicting our future results of operations. Factors that may increase the volatility of our results of operations include, but are not limited to, the following:
Current wording
Historically, quarterly and annual results of operations have fluctuated due to changes in our business, our industry and the general economic and regulatory climate. We expect our future results of operations to vary significantly from quarter to quarter due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. For example, pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts such as the Russian-Ukraine military conflict and the Israel-Hamas war, have previously, and may over the longer term, make our results of operations difficult to predict, especially for our credit-driven businesses. Furthermore, changes in monetary or fiscal policy as the result of pandemics, military conflicts or otherwise may have consequences to our businesses, including our credit-driven businesses, which are unprecedented or otherwise difficult to predict. Our fluctuating results of operations could cause our performance and outlook to be below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, causing the price of our common stock to decline. Our business changes and evolves over time, and, as a result, our historical results of operations may not be useful to you in predicting our future results of operations. Factors that may increase the volatility of our results of operations include, but are not limited to, the following:
Previous wording
We have entered into, and expect to enter into in the future, various contracts, including contracts with clients, third-party publishers and strategic partners, that subject us to counterparty risks. The ability and willingness of our counterparties to perform their obligations under any contract will depend on a number of factors that are beyond our control and may include, among other things, general economic conditions including any economic downturn, public health crises including the COVID-19 pandemic, specific industry vertical conditions and the overall financial condition of the counterparty. As a result, clients, third-party publishers or strategic partners may seek to renegotiate the terms of their existing agreements with us, terminate their agreements with us for convenience (where permitted) or avoid performing their obligations under those agreements. Should a counterparty fail to honor its contractual obligations with us or terminate its agreements with us for convenience (where permitted), we could sustain significant losses or write-offs, or we could be involved in costly litigation to defend, enforce and protect our contractual rights, both of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Current wording
We have entered into, and expect to enter into in the future, various contracts, including contracts with clients, third-party publishers and strategic partners, that subject us to counterparty risks. The ability and willingness of our counterparties to perform their obligations under any contract will depend on a number of factors that are beyond our control and may include, among other things, general economic conditions including any economic downturn, public health crises, specific industry vertical conditions and the overall financial condition of the counterparty. As a result, clients, third-party publishers or strategic partners may seek to renegotiate the terms of their existing agreements with us, terminate their agreements with us for convenience (where permitted) or avoid performing their obligations under those agreements. Should a counterparty fail to honor its contractual obligations with us or terminate its agreements with us for convenience (where permitted), we could sustain significant losses or write-offs, or we could be involved in costly litigation to defend, enforce and protect our contractual rights, both of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Rearranged current paragraphs (1)
Current report — wording carried from elsewhere
Changes in regulations, or the regulatory environment, applicable to us or our media sources, third party publishers or clients could also have a material adverse effect on our business. For example, in December 2023, the FCC adopted new rules to further restrict the transmission of text messages. One of these rules has been appealed and is being subjected to judicial review, but generally these new rules are scheduled to take effect over the course of 2024 and early 2025 to further restrict the transmission of text messages. The rules, among other things, amend TCPA consent requirements to prohibit the practice of allowing a single consumer consent to be grounds for multiple entities to deliver automated marketing calls and text messages, thereby requiring consent for such calls and text messages to be secured and provided on a “one-to-one” basis and requiring the consent to be “logically and topically associated” with the interaction that prompted the consent. Further, the new rules allow the FCC to “red flag” certain numbers, requiring mobile carriers to block texts from those numbers. The rules also codify that the national Do-Not-Call list protections apply to text messaging, making it illegal for marketing texts to be sent to numbers on the national Do-Not-Call registry absent an applicable exception. The FCC order adopting the new rules also encourages providers to make email-to-text messages an opt-in service for end users. Except for the “one-to-one” and “logically and topically associated” consent rule and the “red flag” blocking requirements, the new rules took effect on March 26, 2024. The “one-to-one” and “logically and topically associated” consent rule, which has been appealed, is scheduled to take effect on January 27, 2025, absent judicial intervention. The “red flag” blocking requirements are scheduled to take effect on July 24, 2024.